Sport in Malta

(Redirected from Cricket in Malta)

Sports in Malta include association football, basketball, athletics, rugby, tennis, cycling, and others.

Football

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The Ta' Qali National Stadium is the home ground of the Malta national football team

Association football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Malta. The national stadium is called Ta' Qali Stadium. The national football team has won several matches over big opponents that reached the final phases in World Cups, such as Belgium and Hungary. Recently a large number of football grounds have been built throughout the island. The top football league in Malta is called the Maltese Premier League, and consists of 14 teams. Futsal is also very popular.[citation needed]

Watersports

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Malta is a good place for surfing and offers a lot of different surf spots.[1] During winter time most of the beaches transform into surfer hangouts.

Waterpolo

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Water polo is also very popular in Malta. The Malta men's national water polo team has achieved some great results against strong teams, and has competed in the Olympics twice. Maltese clubs participate in the European Club competitions organised by LEN, are seen as being in the top 10 water polo leagues in Europe.[citation needed]

Boċċi

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Boċċi is the Maltese version of the Italian game of bocce, French pétanque and British bowls. Other than certain differences in rules and the ground on which the game is played, one of the most obvious differences between Maltese boċċi and foreign equivalents is the shape of the bowls themselves which tend to be cylindrical rather than spherical in shape. Many small clubs (usually called Klabbs tal-Boċċi in Maltese) can be found in Maltese and Gozitan localities, and are usually well-frequented and are quite active on a local and European level. Even the emigrants to Canada, Australia, and The United States have taken the game with them and now forms an important part of their social scene.[2]

Hockey

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Maltese National Hockey League is the official field hockey league in Malta, with just 4 teams participating in the National League.

The National Hockey Stadium is located in Paola, Kordin. It is the only location with regulation facilities available in the country.

The Malta National Hockey Team occasionally participates in international fixtures.

Rugby

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Rugby Union has been played in Malta since the beginning of the 20th century, with evidence of rugby pitches at RAF Ta' Qali Air Field in the 1920s and other fields in RAF Luqa Air Field. The Malta Rugby Football Union was formed in 1991. 5 clubs are established in Malta - Falcons, Kavallieri, Overseas, Stompers and Wolves. In October 2021 the national men's team was ranked 41st in the world. They have recently been achieving success, defeating teams including Sweden, Croatia and Latvia. In 2018, Malta achieved its largest win against Andorra, that of 89-3.[3] As of 2016 Malta Rugby Union had 2,480 registered players.[4]

Rugby league is also played in Malta, primarily due to return migration of Maltese Australians bringing it back with them. In July 2022, the national men's team was ranked 10th in the world. The national team are known as the Malta Knights, and boast players currently playing in the Super League in England such as Jarrod Sammut, Jake Mamo, the most famous player to come from Malta would be former South Sydney Rabbitohs, Mario Fenech. In 2016 Malta Rugby League had 285 players, with the large majority based in Australia.[5]

Motorsport

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Motorsport includes drag racing represented by the Malta Drag Racing Association, with recent high ranking Maltese dragsters in official FIA European championships. There is also autocross (ASMK), hill climb (Island Car Club), motocross, karting and banger racing championships.[6]

Basketball

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In 2020, Malta got its first-ever female head coach leading a men’s Division One basketball team. It was Silvia Gambino who started the position at Mellieħa S.C. Libertas.[7]

Volleyball

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Malta has a first division for women's volleyball teams. The president of the national federation MVA has been Jesmond Saliba.[8]

Snooker

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Malta also hosts a snooker round, the Malta Cup, which as of 2008 became a non-ranking event.[citation needed] In 2008 Malta's Tony Drago was a member of a victorious European Mosconi Cup team, which was played in Portomaso, Malta.[citation needed] Claudio Cassar was World Blackball Champion in 2014.

Shooting

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The most notable Maltese shooter is William Chetcuti, who won medals at the Commonwealth Games and Mediterranean Games, and ranked in the top 8 at the Olympic Games and ISSF World Championships.

Boxing

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Boxer Jeff Fenech is of Maltese descent.[9] Recently contact sports such as Boxing and Kickboxing have become increasingly popular.[citation needed]

Cricket

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Malta are an affiliate member of the ICC & has full Twenty20 International status. Home games are played at Marsa. In 2020 there was a T20 summer domestic league consisting of 12 teams, and in 2019 a 50-over winter league which comprised 5 teams.


Along with other sports, tennis is a popular activity in Malta and Gozo. The islands offer a wide range of options for both beginners and elite players. Clubs are spread out across Malta and games are being played on a regular basis all year around.

There ,are over 1,200 rock climbing routes in Malta. The island offers a mixture of both trad climbing and sport climbing and also offers a good variety of bouldering and deep water soloing. The geography and small size of the island makes the climbing easily accessible. The sport is growing in popularity with local communities, as well as tourists and visitors.[citation needed]

Multi-sport games

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Malta debuted at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam 1928. No Maltese competitor has won an Olympic medal.

The country has claimed seven medals at the Paralympics, seven medals at the Commonwealth Games and nine at the Mediterranean Games

List of sports teams in Malta

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Number Locality Football Futsal Waterpolo Boċċi Handball Basketball Rugby Union Athletics Regatta Darts Billiards Volleyball Hockey
1 Valletta Valletta F.C.
Valletta St. Paul's
Valletta Stars
Rovers United
Valletta Futsal Club Valletta United W.P.C. St. Paul's


Marsamxett

Valletta Lions (defunct) Marsamxett Valletta Valletta V.C.
2 Mdina Mdina Knights F.C. Mdina Knights Futsal
3 Attard Attard F.C. Attard Futsal (defunct)
4 Balzan Balzan F.C. Balzan Futsal (defunct) Balzan V.C.
5 Vittoriosa Vittoriosa Stars F.C. Birgu
6 Birkirkara Birkirkara F.C.
Birkirkara St. Joseph
Mrieħel Devon
Fleur-de-Lys
Mrieħel ESS Birkirkara Boċċi Club Aloysians H.C. Birkirkara Alligators (defunct) Birkirkara St. Joseph Aloysians V.C.
Birkirkara V.C.
Fleur-de-lys V.C.
7 Birzebbugia Birżebbuġa St. Peter's F.C.
Birzebbugia Tigers
Birzebbuga A.S.C. Birżebbuġa Birżebbuġa Birżebbuġa St. Peter BC

Birżebbuġa Cox

8 Cospicua St. George's F.C.
Cospicua Dynamos
St. George's Futsal Cospicua Boċċi Club De La Salle H.C. Bormla
9 Swieqi Swieqi United F.C. Swieqi United Futsal
Swieqi United U-21 Futsal
Swieqi Phoenix H.C. Overseas RUFC Swieqi Phoenix V.C.
10 Lija Lija Athletic F.C. Lija Boċċi Club
11 Floriana Floriana F.C.

Floriana AFC

Klabb Boċċi Floriana Floriana Basketball Club Floriana Ajax

Floriana Bocci Club

Young Stars Hockey Club
12 Sliema Sliema Wanderers F.C. Sliema ASC

Exiles S.C.

Stompers RFC Sliema Inter DC Sliema Hotsticks Hockey Club
13 Gżira Gżira United F.C. Gżira Athleta
14 Paola Hibernians F.C.

Paola Kordin

Hibernians Futsal (defunct)

Paola Downtown Futsal Club (defunct)

Hibernians Basketball
15 St. Julian's Melita F.C. Melita Futsal (defunct) San Giljan ASC

Neptunes WPSC

16 Senglea Senglea Athletic F.C. Senglea Senglea Conquest
17 Mosta Mosta F.C.

Mosta Vikings AFC

Mosta Gunners

Mosta Futsal Club

ZC Excess Futsal Club (defunct) (Bidnija)

Mosta Boċċi Club Mosta Horseshoe
18 Naxxar Naxxar Lions F.C. Naxxar Motors Futsal (defunct)

Naxxar Lions FC Futsal

Starlites
19 Ħamrun Ħamrun Spartans F.C. Ħamrun Spartans Futsal (defunct) Ħamrun Education

Ħamrun Bayern

20 St. Paul's Bay Sirens F.C. Sirens ASC Bugibba New Sun City

Bugibba Whyte Harte

21 Qormi Qormi F.C.

Qormi Eagles

Qormi Futsal Club Qormi Boċċi Club

St. Sebastian Boċċi Club

Kavallieri Rugby Football Club

Qormi Wasps

Qormi Hockey Qormi Hockey Club
22 Rabat Rabat Ajax F.C. Rabat Hockey Club
23 Żebbuġ Żebbuġ Rangers F.C. Żebbuġ Boċċi Klabb
24 Marsa Marsa F.C.

Marsa St. Michael's

Marsa Marsa Top Gun RS

Marsa St. Michael

25 Msida Msida St. Joseph F.C. University of Malta Students Futsal

Junior College Futsal (defunct)

Msida Boċċi Club
26 Żejtun Żejtun Corinthians F.C. Żejtun Domus

Żejtun Lacci

27 Pembroke Pembroke Athleta F.C.

St. Andrews F.C.

Luxol St. Andrews Futsal Club

Luxol Futsal Team B (defunct)

Luxol White Hart Hockey Club
28 Marsaskala Marsaskala F.C. Marsaskala Futsal Club Marsaskala SC Marsascala Heat Hockey Club (Juniors)
29 Gudja Gudja United F.C. Gudja PO's Bar
30 Tarxien Tarxien Rainbows F.C. Tarxien JMI (defunct)
31 Fgura Fgura United F.C. Fgura PL Club
32 Żurrieq Żurrieq F.C.

Żurrieq Wolves

Żurrieq Futsal Club Żurrieq F.C.
33 Kalkara Kalkara United F.C. Kalkara Kalkara St. Joseph
34 Siġġiewi Siġġiewi F.C. Siġġiewi Ta' Klaricc
35 Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk F.C. Marsaxlokk ASC
36 Qrendi Qrendi F.C.

Qrendi Sparrows AFC

Falcons RFC
37 Mqabba Mqabba F.C. Mqabba St. Mary BC

Mqabba Tal-Gilju

38 Kirkop Kirkop United F.C.
39 Santa Luċija Santa Lucia F.C.

Santa Lucia Falcons AFC

Santa Lucija Bocci
40 Mellieħa Mellieħa S.C.
41 Mtarfa Mtarfa F.C. Depiro
42 Mġarr Mġarr United F.C.
43 Dingli Dingli Swallows F.C.
44 Għargħur Għargħur F.C.
45 San Ġwann San Ġwann F.C. San Ġwann Futsal (defunct)
46 Pietà Pietà Hotspurs F.C. Pietà Hotspurs Futsal (defunct)
47 Ta' Xbiex Ta' Xbiex F.C. Ta' Xbiex WPC
48 Santa Venera Santa Venera Lightnings F.C.
49 Luqa Luqa St. Andrews F.C. Luqa St. Andrews Futsal (defunct)
50 Għaxaq Għaxaq F.C.
51 Żabbar Żabbar St. Patrick F.C. Żabbar St. Patrick Futsal (defunct)
52 Xgħajra Xgħajra Tornados F.C.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Surf Malta". Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Top Sports in Malta – Traditional and Most Common". Welcome Center Malta. Welcome Center Malta. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Malta blitzes Andorra to go unbeaten this season". Malta Today. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Global Participation in Rugby". Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Rugby League European Federation. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Motorsport Malta – Racing News, ESPN F1, Drifting, Drag and more". Motorsport Malta. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  7. ^ Jean Paul Azzopardi (29 September 2020). "Malta Has Its First-Ever Woman Head Coach Leading A Men's Division One Basketball Team". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Women's Volleyball: Swieqi Phoenix crowned First Division Champions". The Malta Independent. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Jeff Fenech". Youngvictorboxing.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2019.